Birmingham men held as five arrested in far-right terror raids
Five people have today been arrested on suspicion of being part of a far-right group.
Three men, a woman and a 17-year-old boy were detained on suspicion of terrorism offences following a series of raids across the country.
They are suspected of being members of banned far-right group National Action contrary to section 11 of the Terrorism Act.
Two of the arrested men are from Birmingham and all five are being held at a police station in the West Midlands.
The arrests were carried out as part of pre-planned, intelligence- led raids by the West Midlands Counter Terrorism Unit with CTP North East and East Midlands CTIU.
A number of properties are being searched in connection with the arrests, West Midlands Police said.
The suspects include:
A 22-year-old man from Birmingham
A 28-year-old man from Birmingham
A 23-year-old man from Halifax
A 22-year-old woman also from Halifax
A 17-year-old boy from Nottingham.
A spokesman for West Midlands Police said: "They will be questioned on suspicion of being members of a proscribed organisation, National Action, contrary to section 11 of the Terrorism Act.
"The arrests were pre-planned and intelligence-led. They were carried out by West Midlands Counter Terrorism Unit in conjunction with CTP North East and East Midlands CTIU.
"A number of properties are being searched in connection with the arrests."
The leader of the organisation, 32-year-old Christopher Lythgoe, was sentenced to eight years in prison in July this year over a plot to kill MP Rosie Cooper.
